Device for plugging the pour of rotating reactors

ABSTRACT

A device for plugging the taphole of reactors for metallurgical processes, of rotating and/or oscillating type; comprising in combination a plug having an essentially frusto-conical shape; a tail piece, fixed to the greater base of the plug and substantially perpendicular thereto, having its free end folded in order to allow the plug to be operated; a rod rigid with, and perpendicular to, the minor base of the plug, the free end of which is so shaped as to allow its anchoring to the locking member of the plug; a member for locking the plug on the taphole located on the outer edge of the hole itself and co-operating with the end of said rod, said member being easily removable and apt to be reused.

United States Patent [1 1 Imberti DEVICE FOR PLUGGING THE POUR OF ROTATING REACTORS [75] Inventor: Bruno lmberti, Genova, Italy [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 17, 1971 Italy 49804 A/7l [52] US. Cl. 266/1, 266/42 [51] Int. Cl. C2") [58] Field of Search 266/35, 36 P, 38,

266/39, 42, l; 220/25, 55 B, 44 B, 43 P [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Walpole 266/42 Dec. 4, 1973 Primary Examiner-Andrew R. Juhasz Assistant ExaminerW. R. Briggs Attorney-lrvin S. Thompson et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A device for plugging the taphole of reactors for metallurgical processes, of rotating and/or oscillating type; comprising in combination a plug having an essentially frusto-conical shape; a tail piece, fixed to the greater base of the plug and substantially perpendicular thereto, having its free end folded in order to allow the plug to be operated; a rod rigid with, and perpendicular to, the minor base of the plug, the free end of which is so shaped as to allow its anchoring to the locking member of the plug; a member for locking the plug on the taphole located on the outer edge of the hole itself and co-operating with the end of said rod, said member being easily removable and apt to be reused.

12 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEU 4 SHEU 2 [1F 2 1 DEVICE FOR PLUGGING THE POUR OF ROTATING REACTORS The present invention relates to a device for plugging the taphole of rotating reactors.

Particularly, this invention relates to a device for plugging the taphole of rotating and/or oscillating reactors and more specifically to a plugging device which can be easily applied to the taphole, ensuring a good seal and a correspondingly ease of removal at the end of the process which takes place in the reactor, and in any case, before the tapping.

Reference is made to the case of a cylindrical reactor rotating about a vertical axis and, for sake of simplicity, it is assumed that said axis of rotation will be coincident with the geometrical axis of the cylinder. It is known that under these conditions, the surface of a liquid contained in the rotating reactor, due to the effect of the centrifugal force and of the consequent rise of the liquid along the walls, takes the shape of a paraboloid of revolution.

Naturally, if two or more non miscible liquids are present, a Stratification of said liquids will occur whereby, without departing from the paraboloidal shape of the single layers, the more light-weight liquid.

will float on top of the other liquids which will dispose themselves by sequence of increasing specific gravity from the inner zone of the reactor towards the outer zone, and from the top downwards thereof.

When metallurgical reactions take place within the reactor, for instance conversion of molten pig iron into steel, the location of the taphole, which usually in the converters is open and located in the top of the side wall, must have been exactly established in order to avoid undesired outflows of material, taking account of the density and of the amount of the single liquids involved in the process, of the dimensions of the reactor and of its maximum speed of rotation during the operation.

However, not even by having recourse to such contrivance it is possible to find a solution satisfactory in each case.

In fact, during the course of the process it may happen that, due to various causes and particularly when the blowing in of gaseous fluids is provided, the slag will take the characteristics and the behaviour of a foam, i.e., of a dispersion where the dispersant phase is liquid and the dispersed phase is gaseous, thus increasing its volume remarkably and in a non expectable amount.

Under these conditions, the outflow of part of the slag from said taphole becomes unavoidable or at least very probable, since it is facilitated by the rotation of the bath, even if said hole is located as high as possible, with negative consequences under the standpoint of the operation of the installation, of workers safety and of the yield of the process taking place in the reactor.

The purpose of the present invention is that of obviating the aforesaid drawback providing a plugging device for the taphole having a simple construction, being easily mounted and fixed on the hole itself, and finally which can be easily removable therefrom.

The specific object of the present invention is a device for plugging the taphole of reactors for metallurgical processes, of rotating and/or oscillating type, characterized in comprising in combination:

a plug having a substantially conical shape;

a tail piece fixed to the greater base of the plug and substantially perpendicular thereto, having its free end folded in order to allow the operation of the plug itself;

a rod fixed to, and perpendicular to, the minor base of the plug, the free end of which being so shaped as to allow its anchoring to the locking member of the plug;

a member for locking the plug on the taphole, located on the outer edge of the hole itself and cooperating with the end of the aforesaid rod, said member being easily removable and apt to be reused.

The present invention will be now described with reference to the attached drawings where only by way of non limitative example some preferred embodiments of this invention have been shown.

Particularly, in the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section of a plugging device according to this invention with a single-piece P g;

FIG. 2 is a partial section similar to that of FIG. 1, with a two-piece plug.

FIG. 3 is a partial longitudinal section of a device according to FIGS. 1 or 2 where the locking member is a wedge.

Reference is made now to FIG. 1 where are shown:

a plug 1 having an essentially frusto-conical shape;

a tail piece 2 fixed to, and perpendicular to, the

greater base of plug 1, said tail piece at the end located inside the reactor, being provided with a loop I or grommet 3;

a rod 4 fixed to, and perpendicular to, the minor base of plug 1, and provided with a hook 5;

a spring 6, with one or more coils, the legs of which are folded in such a way as to result parallel in their terminal portions. One of the terminal portions is provided with a hook 7 and the other rests on the outer wall 8 of the reactor surrounding the outer orifice 9 of the taphole, said rest being ensured by a loop 10 provided in the terminal portion of the spring 6 and co-operating with the outer orifice 9 of the taphole.

The operations which render possible the use of said device are as follows:

introducing into the reactor and arranging the plug 1 on the taphole, utilizing an arm provided with hook or pincers (not shown in the figure) having suitable dimensions and co-operating with the eye 3 of the tail piece 2. At the end of this operation the greater base of the plug will result faced towards the inside of the reactor and the conical part of the plug will contact the inner edge of the taphole;

fixing the plug 1 to the taphole by operating outside the reactor, by coupling the hook 5 of the rod 4 with the hook 7 of the spring 6;

removing the plug 1 at the end of the process which took place within the reactor. Said removal is carried out, with the reactor in vertical or sub-vertical position, by releasing the spring 6 and exerting from outside, on the minor base of the plug 1, a thrust sufficient for its expulsion.

Having thus rendered clear the operation of the single parts forming the invention, greater details will be now disclosed about their shape, their dimensions, their combination, and finally about the connections which render possible their combination.

A frusto-conical shape-with, am either rectilinear or slightly convex lateral surface can be provided for the plug 1, or also a frusto-conical shape with a rounded minor base. All these shapes will ensure a good seal even if the size of the orifice would change during the operation of the reactor. In fact, also in these cases, the plug due to the combined effect of its shape, of the action of the spring 6 and of the centrifugal force, will insert into the taphole through the desired extent ensuring a good seal.

Calling respectively; a, the semi apex angle of the cone from which the frusto-conical shape of the plug 1 is ideally obtained; D the diameter of the greater base of the plug, d the actual diameter of the inner orifice of the taphole, L the distance between the bases of the plug 1, and finally 3 the diameter of the base of the flattened cylinder forming a possible stop abutment for the plug, and h the height of said abutment, the following conditions and relations must be satisfied:

a is comprised between 10 and 60;

the ratio D/d is comprised in the interval 1.1 2;

L is calculated according to the equation:

L (0.1 to 2) dctga 8 is calculated according to the equation:

3=(l.2 to 1.5) D

h is calculated according to the relation:

h= (0.1 to 0.5) d

The outflow of slag from the taphole is, as afore said, mechanically hindered by the presence of the plug 1. However, it can happen that as a consequence of the irregularity of the contour of the inner orifice of the hole, a small amount of slag will issue through the apertures which will be formed along the contact surface between the plug and the orifice, solidifying and sealing thus the said aperture. If this is convenient under a standpoint as it limits the escape of slag to the advantage of the efficiency of the process taking place in the reactor, on the other hand it is an unfavorable result as the partial sticking of the plug to the inner orifice of the taphole renders more difficult its subsequent removal or prevents said removal.

In order to obviate said inconvenience it is possible to adopt for the plug a two-piece shape instead of the single-piece shape. With specific reference to FIG. 2, said two-piece plug consists of a central piece or core 1 1 having a frusto-conical shape, surrounded by a tubular sheet or ring 12 of the same material as the core and with its outer conical surface equal to that of the corresponding single-piece plug. The two parts 11 and 12 before their use are glued, for instance by a vinyl glue, so as to render the unit equivalent to a single-piece plug. Thus, in case of sticking of the plug to the inner edge of the taphole 9, if the two-piece embodiment has been adopted, relatively little pressure will be sufficient for extracting the core 11 of the plug from the outer ring 12 thus allowing the tapping. The remainder of the ring 12 after the tapping will be removed during the operations of cleaning the hole 9, operations which can be rendered necessary after each tapping, even in case of use of a single-piece plug.

The plug is made of a material selected so as, with reference to the particular process occurring in the reactor, to show optimum characteristics of mechanical and chemical resistance; for instance, a refractory material, and which can be also partially or totally coated with a metal sheet and/or with tarry substances. In correspondence with the centres of the two bases of the plug, recesses are provided for the connection to the tail piece 2 and to the rod 4. Said recesses, either threaded or not, can be provided directly in the refractory material, or in a bushing, for instance made of metal, embedded in the refractory body during its forming.

The rod 4 is made of metal and its cross section is circular, or of any other form. The ratio between the area of its cross section and the area of the nominal cross section of the taphole can be defined between 0.0014 and 0.2. The end of the rod 4 to be connected to the plug can be either threaded or square bent, T shaped etc., according to the selected fastening system. The free end thereof carries a hook 5 or alternatively an aperture having any form. The length of said rod depends upon the nominal length of the taphole and anyway it must be such as to ensure a projection from the outer edge of the taphole sufficient to carry out easily the fastening operation as previously described.

The tail piece 2 consists of a metal plate (or metal stem) fixed perpendicularly, by one of the methods as already described with reference to the rod 4, and carrying at its opposite end a loop or a grommet 3. Taking account of the dimensions and of the inner form of the reactor, its length is selected so as to render at utmost easy the operation of locating the plug in its seat.

Finally in the embodiment as shown in FIG. 3, the closure of the taphole is made always be means of a frusto-conical plug 1, the tightening ensured by a wedge element 13, having a length greater than the diameter of the outer orifice of the taphole 9 passing through a shaped aperture provided through the body of the rod 4 quite analogous to that already shown in the previous FIGS. 1 and 2.

The present invention has been described in one embodiment at present preferred being however understood that constructive changes might be practically adopted without departing from the scope of the present industrial privilege.

Having thus described the present invention, what is claimed is:

l. A device for plugging the taphole of reactors for metallurgical processes, of rotating and/oroscillating type, comprising in combination:

a plug having an essentially frusto-conical shape;

a tail piece, fixed to the greater base of the plug and substantially perpendicular thereto, having its free end bent in order to allow the plug to be operated;

a rod fixed to, and perpendicular to, the minor base of the plug, the free end of which is so shaped as to allow its anchoring to a locking member for the P g;

a member for locking the plug on the taphole, located on the outer edge of the hole itself and cooperating with said free end of the aforesaid rod, said member being easily removable and apt to be reused.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the plug has a substantially frusto-conical shape and consists of one single piece.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the plug consists of an inner core having a frustoconical shape and of an outer frusto-conical ring, which is rendered adherent to the core by sticking.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1; characterized in that the semi angle a at the apex of the cone wherefrom the plug is ideally obtained, is comprised between and 60.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that calling D the diameter of the greater base of the plug and d the actual diameter of the inner orifice of 5 5=(0.l2 to 1.5) D

h= (0.1 to 0.5) d

8. A plugging device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the plug is made of refractory material and- /or it is partially or totally enclosed in a metal sheath and/or coated with tarry substances.

9. A plugging device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the rod is made of metal and its cross sectional shape is circular or it has whatever form.

10. A plugging device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the ratio between the cross sectional area of the rod and that of the nominal cross sectional area of the taphole is comprised between 0.0014 and 0.2.

11. A plugging device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the locking member, metallic and elastic, is substantially U-shaped, wherein: the arm resting diametrically on the outer edge of the taphole has a width sufficient to ensure for the member itself a stable rest surface and, in correspondence with the centre of the pour, is so shaped as to allow the passage of the rod of the plug, and the other arm is so shaped as to be able to be coupled with the end of said rod, in correspondence with the centerline of the taphole.

12. A plugging device as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the locking member is a wedge, having a length greater than the diameter of the outer orifice of the taphole, co-operating in whatever way with the free end of the rod of the plug. 

1. A device for plugging the taphole of reactors for metallurgical processes, of rotating and/or oscillating type, comprising in combination: a plug having an essentially frusto-conical shape; a tail piece, fixed to the greater base of the plug and substantially perpendicular thereto, having its free end bent in order to allow the plug to be operated; a rod fixed to, and perpendicular to, the minor base of the plug, the free end of which is so shaped as to allow its anchoring to a locking member for the plug; a member for locking the plug on the taphole, located on the outer edge of the hole itself and cooperating with said free end of the aforesaid rod, said member being easily removable and apt to be re-used.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the plug has a substantially frusto-conical shape and consists of one single piece.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the plug consists of an inner core having a frusto-conical shape and of an outer frusto-conical ring, which is rendered adherent to the core by sticking.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 1; characterized in that the semi angle Alpha at the apex of the cone wherefrom the plug is ideally obtained, is comprised between 10* and 60*.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that calling D the diameter of the greater base of the plug and d the actual diameter of the inner orifice of the pour, the D/d ratio is comprised in the interval 1.1 -
 2. 6. A device as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, calling L the height of the frusto-cone forming the plug, said height will be determined in compliance with the relation: L (0.1 to 2). d . ctg Alpha
 7. A plugging device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that calling delta and h, respectively, the diameter of the base of the flattened cylinder forming a possible stop abutment for the plug, and the height of said cylinder, are valid the relations: delta (0.12 to 1.5) D h (0.1 to 0.5) d
 8. A plugging device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the plug is made of refractory material and/or it is partially or totally enclosed in a metal sheath and/or coated with tarry substances.
 9. A plugging device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the rod is made of metal and its cross sectional shape is circular or it has whatever form.
 10. A plugging device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the ratio between the cross sectional area of the rod and that of the nominal cross sectional area of the taphole is comprised between 0.0014 and 0.2.
 11. A plugging device as cLaimed in claim 1, characterized in that the locking member, metallic and elastic, is substantially U-shaped, wherein: the arm resting diametrically on the outer edge of the taphole has a width sufficient to ensure for the member itself a stable rest surface and, in correspondence with the centre of the pour, is so shaped as to allow the passage of the rod of the plug, and the other arm is so shaped as to be able to be coupled with the end of said rod, in correspondence with the centerline of the taphole.
 12. A plugging device as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the locking member is a wedge, having a length greater than the diameter of the outer orifice of the taphole, co-operating in whatever way with the free end of the rod of the plug. 